What do you think?
Rate this book
Seeking a Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism
Seeking a Better Country is a readable and lively survey of American Presbyterianism since its founding in 1706. Its aim is not to celebrate but to understand how Presbyterians formed one of the largest and most influential denominations in the United States, and those historical developments that led to their decline.
Hardcover
11 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
D.G. Hart
36 books31 followersDarryl G. Hart (Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University) directs the honors programs and faculty development at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and serves Westminster Seminary California as adjunct professor of church history. He has written or edited more than fifteen books, including Defending the Faith, a biography of J. Gresham Machen. He is coeditor of the American Reformed Biographies series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 23, 2022
I turned to this book out of a desire to understand the origins and development of Presbyterianism better than I did. Frankly, I expected it to be rather dry and dull. To my surprise, it proved to be quite readable, consistently interesting, and neither celebratory nor prideful, but rather sober and respectful.
In Seeking a Better Country, Hart and Muether (two OPC men) argue that Presbyterians of all denominational stripes have historical “amnesia.” In other words, because Presbyterianism is so fractured, they tend to look no further back than the beginnings of their own branches. They read history selectively. Hart and Muether set out to rectify this tendency by telling the story of American Presbyterianism unflinchingly, and they succeed admirably.
The authors date American Presbyterianism from 1706, when the first American Presbytery was founded in Philadelphia. There were certainly Presbyterians in the new world prior to that date, but it was only then that a higher court (the hallmark of Presbyterianism) was established.
The result was a unique brand of Presbyterianism, a synthesis of four types of Reformed Christianity: one with affinities to Scottish Presbyterianism; two with affinities for Northern Irish Presbyterianism (one experiential, one creedal); and one with affinities for New England Puritanism. As Hart and Muether show, these different strands were major reasons for the conflicts that wracked American Presbyterianism through the years, leading to split after split.
Hart and Muether trace the development of American Presbyterianism through the Old Side/New Side struggle of the eighteenth century, the Old School/New School division in the nineteenth century, and the modernist/fundamentalist controversy of the twentieth century. Their focus is largely on the mainline church, but they speak to the origins of smaller splinter denominations and the theological bases of each. Their accounts are rich with detail and colorful characters, but sobering due to their honest accounting of the disagreements that have arisen so often.
In the end, this book left me thankful for so many good things about Presbyterianism, but longing to see a purer, holier form of Presbyterian church life.
In Seeking a Better Country, Hart and Muether (two OPC men) argue that Presbyterians of all denominational stripes have historical “amnesia.” In other words, because Presbyterianism is so fractured, they tend to look no further back than the beginnings of their own branches. They read history selectively. Hart and Muether set out to rectify this tendency by telling the story of American Presbyterianism unflinchingly, and they succeed admirably.
The authors date American Presbyterianism from 1706, when the first American Presbytery was founded in Philadelphia. There were certainly Presbyterians in the new world prior to that date, but it was only then that a higher court (the hallmark of Presbyterianism) was established.
The result was a unique brand of Presbyterianism, a synthesis of four types of Reformed Christianity: one with affinities to Scottish Presbyterianism; two with affinities for Northern Irish Presbyterianism (one experiential, one creedal); and one with affinities for New England Puritanism. As Hart and Muether show, these different strands were major reasons for the conflicts that wracked American Presbyterianism through the years, leading to split after split.
Hart and Muether trace the development of American Presbyterianism through the Old Side/New Side struggle of the eighteenth century, the Old School/New School division in the nineteenth century, and the modernist/fundamentalist controversy of the twentieth century. Their focus is largely on the mainline church, but they speak to the origins of smaller splinter denominations and the theological bases of each. Their accounts are rich with detail and colorful characters, but sobering due to their honest accounting of the disagreements that have arisen so often.
In the end, this book left me thankful for so many good things about Presbyterianism, but longing to see a purer, holier form of Presbyterian church life.
May 16, 2019
Must-read for a 21st century Presbyterian. Those who do not know their history are bound to repeat it.
May 16, 2022
This is an excellent primer on American Presbyterianism throughout the generations. It’s full of treasure! It also contains warnings to serve the Church so that we can strive for history not to repeat itself…especially within the PCA
January 31, 2021
The OPC review is best on this book.
November 18, 2021
4.5!
A go-to informative primer on the history of American Presbyterianism. I learned a lot reading it. It was neither sensational nor condemning. Part 3 was my favorite! A helpful/readable source for those wanting to learn more.
A go-to informative primer on the history of American Presbyterianism. I learned a lot reading it. It was neither sensational nor condemning. Part 3 was my favorite! A helpful/readable source for those wanting to learn more.
June 14, 2021
Seeking a Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism. By D. G. Hart and John R. Muether. Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing Co., 2007. ISBN: 978-1-62995-654-1. Paperback $19.99.
What is Presbyterianism? That is a question that pastors of Presbyterian churches get asked often, and those who ask such a question probably get a wide variety of answers, depending on the church and pastor. Often the answer may be quick and have something to do with church polity and Reformed theology, but a quick answer cannot really do justice to the depth of that question. If a parishioner is interested in details, perhaps the pastor would recommend a book to read. Now that I have read Seeking a Better Country, it would be up at top of the list of books I would recommend.
The title of this work may imply, at first glance, that the core of Presbyterian identity is seeking a better country on earth in which to practice its unique combination of church polity; confessional, Reformed theology; and regulative-principle worship. Indeed, there is a degree of accuracy to that thought, for Presbyterianism has always desired to worship God in the biblical, Reformed way as a church free from outside interference. However, as one makes their way through this book, the reader eventually sees that is not the authors’ purpose or belief about Presbyterian identity.
In the introduction, the authors point out that it is impossible to define Presbyterianism in a vacuum—i.e. apart from its history and growth in American. They state early on, “Trying to define Presbyterianism as a body of ideas or set of practices without reference to history is like trying to explain baseball to someone who has never seen a double play or sacrifice fly.” As one who is an avid fan of baseball, its history, and its growth over the past 160 years, this analogy “hits home” with me. Trying to explain the game of baseball to someone who is not watching it and has never watched it is practically impossible. Certainly, there are some basic, overarching rules about the purpose of the game that one can explain, but there are many nuances and subtleties to baseball that come from its historical growth and can only be rightly understood as the game is played. In the same way, there are larger, overarching features of Presbyterianism that one can explain in brief, but to understand the nuances and subtleties of its identity, one needs to know its history and “see the game played.” Therefore, the authors go on to state, “The history of Presbyterianism has in a sense been a lengthy debate about those features important to the Presbyterian witness and identity.” To understand what Presbyterianism is and what the Presbyterian identity should be today, we need to see that history and “lengthy debated.”
Understanding the true identity of American Presbyterianism and what it should be today does not seem to be the authors’ primary purpose, however. Certainly, Presbyterian identity is a key aspect of this book. Certainly, that key aspect can be very helpful to contemporary Presbyterians who are concerned about the future of the church. In fact, they state that at the end of their introduction: “What American Presbyterians need today… is… a history that will yield discernment and wisdom about the strengths and weaknesses of their tradition.” Yet, as they bring this book to a close, the reader sees that the authors have an even bigger purpose in mind that explains, in the end, the title of the book.
In the final chapter, the authors end with a sober note on the current state of American Presbyterianism, but it is a sober note with a lesson about how we are to seek a better country. That lesson seems to be their ultimate purpose in writing this book. They state:
We think the most faithful [Presbyterians] were seeking a heavenly city, not an earthly church of prominence and influence… The real rewards of Presbyterian faith and practice are not to be found in a golden age of American Presbyterianism but in an expression of Reformed Christianity that sustains pilgrims longing for a better country, a heavenly city.
The title, Seeking a Better Country, is not meant to imply (as it may at first glance) that at the core of Presbyterian identity is seeking a better country on earth in which to practice Presbyterianism. It is meant to remind us that as we look at the history of American Presbyterianism and its current state with “self-awareness, discernment, and wisdom,” we need to seek to maintain a biblical, Reformed faith and practice by seeking first, like the saints of old, “a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” (He. 11:16) This seems to be, to this reader, the authors’ principal purpose: helping contemporary Presbyterians, especially elders, understand their history and identity, so that they can provide pilgrims and exiles in this world with an identity in Christ that will sustain them in the wilderness of this life, until they come to that better country in the new heavens and new earth.
The authors’ attempt this lofty goal by describing American Presbyterian history in three stages: 1) the founding of Presbyterianism, which goes from 1706-1789 and is “characterized by basic questions of institutional identity” ; 2) the first decades of a truly national church from 1789-1869, which was characterized by “concerned attention to Presbyterian faith” and many debates that helped cement identity, though not in the same way for all Presbyterians; and 3) the period from 1869 to contemporary times, which has been characterized by much change due to some Presbyterians seeking “an Americanized version of Presbyterianism” “that would blend Reformed doctrine with present-day realities” and other “sideline churches” seeking to remain faithful to their understanding of confessional, Reformed Presbyterianism. This layout is very helpful and enlightening, for it captures the major periods of growth and development of identity. There are several sub-chapters to each period that I do not have the space to summarize, but each is written with a critical and also charitable eye to the Presbyterians of the time, seeking to understand their motivations and convictions, even when those led in directions, which the authors do not seem to condone. Each chapter has ends with a few paragraphs that sum up each period well and foreshadow the implications of the decisions made for the future of American Presbyterianism. If one did not have time to read every word of the book, one could get a good idea of American Presbyterianism by reading the introduction, last three to four paragraphs of each chapter, and the last chapter. I am not necessarily recommending this, but I think it is a testimony to the skill with which the authors brought each chapter to an end.
During all these periods, there was, to this reader, a constant tension between two types of Presbyterians: those who saw Presbyterianism as primarily something that should be experiential and pragmatic and those who saw it as something that should be primarily doctrinal and confessional. Whether it was the Old Side-New Side controversy, debates over the character of a national church, turmoil over how to deal with the “age of reason” and westward expansion, the Old School-New School division, even the division between North and South during the Civil War, and right down to modern times with the proliferation of Presbyterian denominations, there seems to be a basic dividing line between an experiential/pragmatic side and a doctrinal/confessional side. In my opinion, those two sides can still be seen in the contemporary fabric of Presbyterianism. The stated issues may be different, but the basic sides are still there: those who want to see Presbyterianism be more “practical” and those who want to stick to “confessional, Reformed Presbyterianism.” The reader of this book needs to think about where they fit in this line with these ends and ask if that is faithful to the Word of God and His calling to the Church. This book gives the reader the historical context to do that critically and (hopefully) with “self-awareness, discernment, and wisdom.”
With that brief summary of the bulk of this book, it needs to be said that I do think that the authors achieved their purpose. There is much spiritual and pastoral benefit to reading this history, but I would like to bring out just two: First, a critical understanding of Presbyterianism so that we can look at current debates and controversies with “discernment and wisdom.” Such a historical perspective will help us to see our “blind spots”; underneath the surface of the debates to the true, spiritual issues at heart; and how we may be repeating the cycle “of accomplishment and failure, insight and ignorance, faithfulness and disloyalty” of our past. Second, seeing those accomplishments and failures of the past reminds us that ultimately, we are all pilgrims and exiles in this world, and churches need to help their congregations form a biblical, Reformed, Christian identity that “sustains pilgrims longing for a better country, a heavenly city.” If we are seeking a better country—a heavenly one—Presbyterians will be faithful to Christ and useful for His work in this world.
Yet, while the authors did achieve their purpose, I would have appreciated some helpful reflection questions for readers, particularly Presbyterian elders (both teaching and ruling). Some were hinted at, but none were explicitly given. Therefore, I came up with five that are personally challenging, and I think may be helpful to others:
1. Are we seeking to form a golden age—a better country—here on earth or seeking to provide pilgrims and exiles with an identity in Christ that will sustain them in the wilderness of this life?
2. Where do I/we sit on the tension between experiential/pragmatic and doctrinal/confessional Presbyterianism? Is that faithful to the call Jesus Christ has given us as a church?
3. Are we seeking to maintain a biblical witness or seeking respectability and cultural status? What damage has seeking the latter done to Presbyterianism in the past?
4. Are we seeking to maintain the spirituality of the Church or are we moving beyond that as a church? What is our understanding of that doctrine and how does it impact current debates?
5. In the changes/reforms that we are seeking, do we see an analog in Presbyterian history? What can we learn from our forefathers and the impact of their decisions?
I pray that these questions might help the reader of this book remain faithful in their calling as a Christian and/or elder for the glory of God and the good of His people as they seek a better country.
What is Presbyterianism? That is a question that pastors of Presbyterian churches get asked often, and those who ask such a question probably get a wide variety of answers, depending on the church and pastor. Often the answer may be quick and have something to do with church polity and Reformed theology, but a quick answer cannot really do justice to the depth of that question. If a parishioner is interested in details, perhaps the pastor would recommend a book to read. Now that I have read Seeking a Better Country, it would be up at top of the list of books I would recommend.
The title of this work may imply, at first glance, that the core of Presbyterian identity is seeking a better country on earth in which to practice its unique combination of church polity; confessional, Reformed theology; and regulative-principle worship. Indeed, there is a degree of accuracy to that thought, for Presbyterianism has always desired to worship God in the biblical, Reformed way as a church free from outside interference. However, as one makes their way through this book, the reader eventually sees that is not the authors’ purpose or belief about Presbyterian identity.
In the introduction, the authors point out that it is impossible to define Presbyterianism in a vacuum—i.e. apart from its history and growth in American. They state early on, “Trying to define Presbyterianism as a body of ideas or set of practices without reference to history is like trying to explain baseball to someone who has never seen a double play or sacrifice fly.” As one who is an avid fan of baseball, its history, and its growth over the past 160 years, this analogy “hits home” with me. Trying to explain the game of baseball to someone who is not watching it and has never watched it is practically impossible. Certainly, there are some basic, overarching rules about the purpose of the game that one can explain, but there are many nuances and subtleties to baseball that come from its historical growth and can only be rightly understood as the game is played. In the same way, there are larger, overarching features of Presbyterianism that one can explain in brief, but to understand the nuances and subtleties of its identity, one needs to know its history and “see the game played.” Therefore, the authors go on to state, “The history of Presbyterianism has in a sense been a lengthy debate about those features important to the Presbyterian witness and identity.” To understand what Presbyterianism is and what the Presbyterian identity should be today, we need to see that history and “lengthy debated.”
Understanding the true identity of American Presbyterianism and what it should be today does not seem to be the authors’ primary purpose, however. Certainly, Presbyterian identity is a key aspect of this book. Certainly, that key aspect can be very helpful to contemporary Presbyterians who are concerned about the future of the church. In fact, they state that at the end of their introduction: “What American Presbyterians need today… is… a history that will yield discernment and wisdom about the strengths and weaknesses of their tradition.” Yet, as they bring this book to a close, the reader sees that the authors have an even bigger purpose in mind that explains, in the end, the title of the book.
In the final chapter, the authors end with a sober note on the current state of American Presbyterianism, but it is a sober note with a lesson about how we are to seek a better country. That lesson seems to be their ultimate purpose in writing this book. They state:
We think the most faithful [Presbyterians] were seeking a heavenly city, not an earthly church of prominence and influence… The real rewards of Presbyterian faith and practice are not to be found in a golden age of American Presbyterianism but in an expression of Reformed Christianity that sustains pilgrims longing for a better country, a heavenly city.
The title, Seeking a Better Country, is not meant to imply (as it may at first glance) that at the core of Presbyterian identity is seeking a better country on earth in which to practice Presbyterianism. It is meant to remind us that as we look at the history of American Presbyterianism and its current state with “self-awareness, discernment, and wisdom,” we need to seek to maintain a biblical, Reformed faith and practice by seeking first, like the saints of old, “a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” (He. 11:16) This seems to be, to this reader, the authors’ principal purpose: helping contemporary Presbyterians, especially elders, understand their history and identity, so that they can provide pilgrims and exiles in this world with an identity in Christ that will sustain them in the wilderness of this life, until they come to that better country in the new heavens and new earth.
The authors’ attempt this lofty goal by describing American Presbyterian history in three stages: 1) the founding of Presbyterianism, which goes from 1706-1789 and is “characterized by basic questions of institutional identity” ; 2) the first decades of a truly national church from 1789-1869, which was characterized by “concerned attention to Presbyterian faith” and many debates that helped cement identity, though not in the same way for all Presbyterians; and 3) the period from 1869 to contemporary times, which has been characterized by much change due to some Presbyterians seeking “an Americanized version of Presbyterianism” “that would blend Reformed doctrine with present-day realities” and other “sideline churches” seeking to remain faithful to their understanding of confessional, Reformed Presbyterianism. This layout is very helpful and enlightening, for it captures the major periods of growth and development of identity. There are several sub-chapters to each period that I do not have the space to summarize, but each is written with a critical and also charitable eye to the Presbyterians of the time, seeking to understand their motivations and convictions, even when those led in directions, which the authors do not seem to condone. Each chapter has ends with a few paragraphs that sum up each period well and foreshadow the implications of the decisions made for the future of American Presbyterianism. If one did not have time to read every word of the book, one could get a good idea of American Presbyterianism by reading the introduction, last three to four paragraphs of each chapter, and the last chapter. I am not necessarily recommending this, but I think it is a testimony to the skill with which the authors brought each chapter to an end.
During all these periods, there was, to this reader, a constant tension between two types of Presbyterians: those who saw Presbyterianism as primarily something that should be experiential and pragmatic and those who saw it as something that should be primarily doctrinal and confessional. Whether it was the Old Side-New Side controversy, debates over the character of a national church, turmoil over how to deal with the “age of reason” and westward expansion, the Old School-New School division, even the division between North and South during the Civil War, and right down to modern times with the proliferation of Presbyterian denominations, there seems to be a basic dividing line between an experiential/pragmatic side and a doctrinal/confessional side. In my opinion, those two sides can still be seen in the contemporary fabric of Presbyterianism. The stated issues may be different, but the basic sides are still there: those who want to see Presbyterianism be more “practical” and those who want to stick to “confessional, Reformed Presbyterianism.” The reader of this book needs to think about where they fit in this line with these ends and ask if that is faithful to the Word of God and His calling to the Church. This book gives the reader the historical context to do that critically and (hopefully) with “self-awareness, discernment, and wisdom.”
With that brief summary of the bulk of this book, it needs to be said that I do think that the authors achieved their purpose. There is much spiritual and pastoral benefit to reading this history, but I would like to bring out just two: First, a critical understanding of Presbyterianism so that we can look at current debates and controversies with “discernment and wisdom.” Such a historical perspective will help us to see our “blind spots”; underneath the surface of the debates to the true, spiritual issues at heart; and how we may be repeating the cycle “of accomplishment and failure, insight and ignorance, faithfulness and disloyalty” of our past. Second, seeing those accomplishments and failures of the past reminds us that ultimately, we are all pilgrims and exiles in this world, and churches need to help their congregations form a biblical, Reformed, Christian identity that “sustains pilgrims longing for a better country, a heavenly city.” If we are seeking a better country—a heavenly one—Presbyterians will be faithful to Christ and useful for His work in this world.
Yet, while the authors did achieve their purpose, I would have appreciated some helpful reflection questions for readers, particularly Presbyterian elders (both teaching and ruling). Some were hinted at, but none were explicitly given. Therefore, I came up with five that are personally challenging, and I think may be helpful to others:
1. Are we seeking to form a golden age—a better country—here on earth or seeking to provide pilgrims and exiles with an identity in Christ that will sustain them in the wilderness of this life?
2. Where do I/we sit on the tension between experiential/pragmatic and doctrinal/confessional Presbyterianism? Is that faithful to the call Jesus Christ has given us as a church?
3. Are we seeking to maintain a biblical witness or seeking respectability and cultural status? What damage has seeking the latter done to Presbyterianism in the past?
4. Are we seeking to maintain the spirituality of the Church or are we moving beyond that as a church? What is our understanding of that doctrine and how does it impact current debates?
5. In the changes/reforms that we are seeking, do we see an analog in Presbyterian history? What can we learn from our forefathers and the impact of their decisions?
I pray that these questions might help the reader of this book remain faithful in their calling as a Christian and/or elder for the glory of God and the good of His people as they seek a better country.
July 4, 2020
A very helpful historical overview of Presbyterianism in America, which has struggled to establish its theological and ecclesiological heritage from its Great Britain and continental European forefathers.
The authors are very critical of the many divisions that have disrupted Presbyterian identity, and the many errors and sins which have adulterated the gospel witness by both conservative and liberal agendas in Presbyterian history in America. Even the conservative and confessional Presbyterian denominations have fallen short of unity and a clear understanding of what it means to be Reformed and Presbyterian in the USA. Yet, in all of this,the authors are hopeful. This helpful outlook recognizes the Church’s continual pilgrimage in this life towards “a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” If we can learn from the mistakes of the past, and if the USA continues to exist decades from now, perhaps there is still a future for confessional Presbyterians in the USA in which they can thrive and be a faithful witness to Christ. May the Lord be with us.
The authors are very critical of the many divisions that have disrupted Presbyterian identity, and the many errors and sins which have adulterated the gospel witness by both conservative and liberal agendas in Presbyterian history in America. Even the conservative and confessional Presbyterian denominations have fallen short of unity and a clear understanding of what it means to be Reformed and Presbyterian in the USA. Yet, in all of this,the authors are hopeful. This helpful outlook recognizes the Church’s continual pilgrimage in this life towards “a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” If we can learn from the mistakes of the past, and if the USA continues to exist decades from now, perhaps there is still a future for confessional Presbyterians in the USA in which they can thrive and be a faithful witness to Christ. May the Lord be with us.
January 1, 2016
The authors accomplished their purpose of putting forward a critical history of mainstream American Presbyterianism from 1706 to 2006.
Exceptionally lucid, fast-paced, and substantive, this book is a must-read for any student of American religious (and/social) history.
Exceptionally lucid, fast-paced, and substantive, this book is a must-read for any student of American religious (and/social) history.
June 3, 2008
This was a great, READABLE summary of Presbyterian History.
The author's do such a good job of keeping various divisions and theological debates concisely explained.
The author's do such a good job of keeping various divisions and theological debates concisely explained.
December 31, 2008
This is a very accessible review of the history of Presbyterianism in America. It is easy to read and very interesting.
May 14, 2023
A helpful and very readable history of Presbyterianism in America.
February 24, 2025
Truly an excellent treatment of American Presbyterian history. I read it in preparation for an ordination exam, but I know I will return to it often throughout my ministry.
The authors' thesis is basically this: there is something called an American Presbyterian tradition that is distinct from Scottish or Irish Presbyterianism. The latter was able transplant in the colonies without losing its identity. The former, the authors argue, was in a perpetual identity crisis of sorts, never quite comfortable with its past and never satisfied with its new home. Indeed, the unique feature of American Presbyterianism is its "Americanism," a love affair with the country it helped settle and a source of denominational and confessional confusion for the church.
Though they stress their objectivity, the authors share a mostly negative evaluation of American Presbyterianism. The group that receives the most praise is the 19th century Old School whose mission to free the church of worldly concerns and achieve complete independence from any earthly home culminated in J. Gresham Machen and the founding of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In that sense, the book suggests the greatest triumph of American Presbyterianism was actually a repudiation of all those things which make American Presbyterianism unique.
I share the authors' concerns about certain influences on our shared tradition (ecumenism, evangelicalism, etc.). However, my personal opinion is that to wage war against one's own tradition is not only folly but foolish (I suspect the authors would agree but would argue against my own conclusions). As a member of the PCA-a continuing church of the American Presbyterian tradition-it seems clear from this book that we are a mix of Puritan piety, New Side evangelicalism, and Old School orthodoxy (particularly of a Southern flavor). I'd rather not spend my time trying to relitigate any one part but find the healthy balance of the three.
The authors' thesis is basically this: there is something called an American Presbyterian tradition that is distinct from Scottish or Irish Presbyterianism. The latter was able transplant in the colonies without losing its identity. The former, the authors argue, was in a perpetual identity crisis of sorts, never quite comfortable with its past and never satisfied with its new home. Indeed, the unique feature of American Presbyterianism is its "Americanism," a love affair with the country it helped settle and a source of denominational and confessional confusion for the church.
Though they stress their objectivity, the authors share a mostly negative evaluation of American Presbyterianism. The group that receives the most praise is the 19th century Old School whose mission to free the church of worldly concerns and achieve complete independence from any earthly home culminated in J. Gresham Machen and the founding of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In that sense, the book suggests the greatest triumph of American Presbyterianism was actually a repudiation of all those things which make American Presbyterianism unique.
I share the authors' concerns about certain influences on our shared tradition (ecumenism, evangelicalism, etc.). However, my personal opinion is that to wage war against one's own tradition is not only folly but foolish (I suspect the authors would agree but would argue against my own conclusions). As a member of the PCA-a continuing church of the American Presbyterian tradition-it seems clear from this book that we are a mix of Puritan piety, New Side evangelicalism, and Old School orthodoxy (particularly of a Southern flavor). I'd rather not spend my time trying to relitigate any one part but find the healthy balance of the three.
Read
May 13, 2023For the 2023 #vtReadingChallenge this is book #18 for the category "A Book about Church History". This one also provides me double-coverage on the earlier category "a book recommended by your pastor", as he not only recommended this book, but actually gave me the copy I've read. Thanks, Pastor Job!
This book provided an interesting historical overview of the various Presbyterian denominations which specifically started in America (the Scottish and/or Irish-based denominations which sent folks to America are mentioned briefly, as is some of the British history involved, but that's not the main focus). I imagine this book would be mainly of interest only to folks who are already well familiar with reformed (Calvinist) theology, so probably not an issue, but it would be good to have a general understanding of that theological system, and the discussions/debates/controversies around it, as they play a role in the narrative here but the authors don't go deep into explaining them.
I can't say that reading church history is ever VERY encouraging, as the authors clearly note, they're trying to be honest and accurate, and so do not paint a very rosy picture. However, I am thankful that, in each era of this history, there were voices speaking for sound Biblical reformed theology. I am thankful to those who stayed in the "main" Presbyterian bodies of their day and taught, argued, and debated faithfully, and I'm equally thankful (as a member of a denomination that left the mainline 50 years ago), for those who, as needed, eventually said "enough is enough".
If you, like me, only know about the last 50 years of so of Presbyterian history (or if you maybe thought all those controversies were new things in the 1920s when J. Gresham Machen was writing so eloquently), then this book educates us on the 250 years before that. Definitely a worthwhile read.
This book provided an interesting historical overview of the various Presbyterian denominations which specifically started in America (the Scottish and/or Irish-based denominations which sent folks to America are mentioned briefly, as is some of the British history involved, but that's not the main focus). I imagine this book would be mainly of interest only to folks who are already well familiar with reformed (Calvinist) theology, so probably not an issue, but it would be good to have a general understanding of that theological system, and the discussions/debates/controversies around it, as they play a role in the narrative here but the authors don't go deep into explaining them.
I can't say that reading church history is ever VERY encouraging, as the authors clearly note, they're trying to be honest and accurate, and so do not paint a very rosy picture. However, I am thankful that, in each era of this history, there were voices speaking for sound Biblical reformed theology. I am thankful to those who stayed in the "main" Presbyterian bodies of their day and taught, argued, and debated faithfully, and I'm equally thankful (as a member of a denomination that left the mainline 50 years ago), for those who, as needed, eventually said "enough is enough".
If you, like me, only know about the last 50 years of so of Presbyterian history (or if you maybe thought all those controversies were new things in the 1920s when J. Gresham Machen was writing so eloquently), then this book educates us on the 250 years before that. Definitely a worthwhile read.
March 10, 2020
Good for covering mainstream American Presbyterianism (up until 2004ish?)
I noticed a a couple of small errors (Such as the wrong mother to King James the VI), but overall I learned a lot about American Presbyterian history.
It however does not cover the other two American traditions in depth, such as the Associated Presbyterians (ARP) or the Covenanters (RPCNA). If this was updated it could also cover both the Communion of Reformed Evangelicals (CREC) and Evangelical Covenant Order (ECO).
I noticed a a couple of small errors (Such as the wrong mother to King James the VI), but overall I learned a lot about American Presbyterian history.
It however does not cover the other two American traditions in depth, such as the Associated Presbyterians (ARP) or the Covenanters (RPCNA). If this was updated it could also cover both the Communion of Reformed Evangelicals (CREC) and Evangelical Covenant Order (ECO).
October 24, 2023
I pulled this book off my shelf for a second reading after hearing some lectures recently on revival. The authors remind the readers that the history of the Presbyterian Church in America is more complex than meets the eye. It is not hard to identity their perspective. They are sympathetic to Old School Confessionalism, suspicious of revival, pointing out the Great Awakening's "mixed blessings." They also demonstrate how ecumenism contributed toward liberalism. And that no denomination is ever really untainted from the culture it serves.
December 18, 2021
This is an introduction to Presbyterian history in the United States. The authors veer into histiography too often for me to recommend it broadly. If you are looking for a more balanced telling of the Presbyterian story I’d probably look elsewhere.
July 19, 2018
Great history that is both scholarly and straightforward. Useful for pastors, students, and laymen alike, for its insight and guidance in understanding Presbyterianism in the USA.
August 8, 2022
Enlightening, though not all that thrilling of a read. What else can you expects from good Presbyterians...
January 1, 2024
Overall very informative regarding the history of American Presbyterianism, but seemed to drag in some places. I learned much, but was not as engaged as I would have liked to be in some parts.
May 10, 2015
This was a really good book that went through the full history of American Presbyterianism without (to my knowledge) falling to one of the twin errors of over-glamorizing or over-vilifying the movement, instead striking a really helpful balance that portrayed both Presbyterian's strengths and weaknesses over the centuries. As someone who was not terribly familiar with the history of the Presbyterian church in America before reading this book, this book did a great job of illuminating the basic conflicts, tensions, and divisions that has led to the state of American Presbyterianism as it is today. I would have preferred to have seen more of the history of the Americanized versions of Irish and Scottish Presbyterianism instead of just the distinctly American form of Presbyterian in this book, but understand why space limitations kept that from happening.
As any good history book does, this book has led me to draw a couple applications from the history described to the time that we now live in today. J. Gresham Machen's heroic and stalwart defense of historic Christianity against the perversions of theological liberalism was one poignant example that profited me when reading of him. In addition to this, I also benefited from the realization through this book that just because a debate over theological matters can get really messy and ugly at times, that doesn't mean that it is not a battle worth arguing. Even when one side is defending the Truth, when the other side is defending a lie, the battle will get ugly. But that's no occasion to shirk away from it.
In conclusion, this book did what a good history book is supposed to do. It explained the history well and, to what I can perceive, fairly; and also provided me with a lot of good historical events to take personal applications from, as well as providing me with the ability to better understand the state of the Presbyterian Church today. As Hart and Muether pointed out, "trying to define Presbyterianism as a body of ideas or a set of practices without reference to history is like trying to explain baseball to someone who has never seen a double play or a sacrifice fly," and, "Presbyterianism understood apart from history is an abstraction bordering on fantasy." Indeed it is. And the time spent learning about this history of Presbyterianism has therefore been very well spent.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Excellent).
As any good history book does, this book has led me to draw a couple applications from the history described to the time that we now live in today. J. Gresham Machen's heroic and stalwart defense of historic Christianity against the perversions of theological liberalism was one poignant example that profited me when reading of him. In addition to this, I also benefited from the realization through this book that just because a debate over theological matters can get really messy and ugly at times, that doesn't mean that it is not a battle worth arguing. Even when one side is defending the Truth, when the other side is defending a lie, the battle will get ugly. But that's no occasion to shirk away from it.
In conclusion, this book did what a good history book is supposed to do. It explained the history well and, to what I can perceive, fairly; and also provided me with a lot of good historical events to take personal applications from, as well as providing me with the ability to better understand the state of the Presbyterian Church today. As Hart and Muether pointed out, "trying to define Presbyterianism as a body of ideas or a set of practices without reference to history is like trying to explain baseball to someone who has never seen a double play or a sacrifice fly," and, "Presbyterianism understood apart from history is an abstraction bordering on fantasy." Indeed it is. And the time spent learning about this history of Presbyterianism has therefore been very well spent.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Excellent).
April 23, 2025
This is a good, accessible overview of American Presbyterian history. Helpful framing of the issues concerning confessionalism in Presbyterian churches. Also helped show how revivals and the revolutionary and civil wars impacted Presbyterianism. A bit of a cranky conclusion.
January 20, 2016
I liked this book more the second time round. Granted, there are some problems with the introductory chapter, but you do not read Darryl Hart and John Muether for 17th century Scottish and Irish history. The general survey of American Presbyterianism from 1706 to 2006 is about as good as you could reasonably expect. Basically the authors' regard the modern Orthodox Presbyterian Church as standing in closest continuity with the Old School Presbyterians of earlier years, although they are careful to deny any notion of a former golden age. There are some small mistakes, such as the authors non-recognition that the mainstream American Presbyterians condemned chattel slavery long before 1818, but these cannot really be avoided in a survey. One particularly interesting point that I noted was that the mainline Presbyterians were talking about ordaining homosexuals as early as the 1970s - long before the modern homosexual agenda became as militant in society as it now is. If you need a refresher on American Presbyterian history, then this book is for you. Do be aware, however, that Northern Ireland did not exist in 1618 and that James I/VI was not the offspring of Mary Tudor.
January 16, 2015
This was a surprisingly good book. You might think from its subject that it could be dry or slow, but it was not. It traces the history of Presbyterianism from its first presbytery (Philadelphia, 1706) through the current day. So you might the Old Light/New Light controversies, the Old School/New School split, the Civil War (or, in Presbyterian circles, the why have 2 denominations when you could have 4? event), the modernism/ecumenism controversy of the '30s, reunions in the 50s and 80s, the PCA and EPC splits, and more.
The writing is lively and engaging. In fact, I gave it but 4 stars because it actually could have been longer and more in depth, particularly in the 20th century. It traces the main Presbyterian storyline, so don't get the Welsh or the Seceders or the Covenanters. But you get plenty to keep you interested, and sad. Hard to believe that the modern PCUSA is the most liberal large denomination in this country (the UCC ain't large). That has left plenty of room for moderates in the more conservative denominations, which will spell trouble for the EPC and PCA down the road, and perhaps even the OPC one day.
The writing is lively and engaging. In fact, I gave it but 4 stars because it actually could have been longer and more in depth, particularly in the 20th century. It traces the main Presbyterian storyline, so don't get the Welsh or the Seceders or the Covenanters. But you get plenty to keep you interested, and sad. Hard to believe that the modern PCUSA is the most liberal large denomination in this country (the UCC ain't large). That has left plenty of room for moderates in the more conservative denominations, which will spell trouble for the EPC and PCA down the road, and perhaps even the OPC one day.
June 22, 2015
This book is depressing. It documents the way American Presbyterians over the years have consistently gravitated away from reformed convictions and even basic Christian orthodoxy, even to the point where the PCUSA sponsored a conference in 1993 that introduced goddess worship and Wicca practices (p. 249). Of course the PCUSA does not represent all Presbyterians. The PCA, OPC and EPC are all champions of orthodoxy, but readers should know that the book spends little time on the history of these denominations. Much time is spent analyzing the difference between Old School and New School Presbyterians, a debate that has been ensuing for almost 200 years, and is still hugely relevant today. Personally I think that the authors are too hard on the PCA, and that Presbyterians have more to be happy about than is suggested here. But it is true, as all Christians should be reminded, that there is no golden age in the history of the church.
January 19, 2015
Good overview of the history of Presbyterianism in America. The authors, perhaps, make too much of "the spirituality of the church" and the degree to which confessional fidelity equates with spiritual vitality. Other than that, a good book that could be paired with Sean Lucas's On Being Presbyterian.
August 2, 2012
This was much harder to read and understand than I expected. There was so much information to keep track of that I found myself struggling to make sense of it all. I have to say, I was disappointed in what I did learn about the history of this denomination.
October 28, 2014
This is a fine American Presbyterian History. It is well written and easy to follow. For those familiar with Hart's theological distinctives they tended to surface more as the narrative came closer to the present.
Want to read
August 22, 2010Got about halfway through (c. 1850s) before I had to return it to Covenant and wouldn't mind picking it up again sometime.
January 30, 2013
helpful, but dry
January 20, 2014
Well-organized and readable overview of Presbyterianism. Might have been 5 stars if not for the slight pro-OPC slant. As long as you're aware of those leanings going in, it's not a problem.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews